Veterans are de-cruiting the Canadian Armed Forces. We do not stand-alone. Other organizations and individuals are making their own efforts to “de-cruit” and educate potential recruits to the dangers and pitfalls … of Veteran Affairs Canada.

We, as disabled veterans and spouses, widows and family of disabled veterans, cannot, with good conscience, encourage anyone to serve in the Canadian Armed Forces. Pensions, benefits and services have been, and continue to be, eroded by bureaucrats and politicians. Senior bureaucrats and politicians have undermined veterans’ cohesiveness and reliability through “stakeholder” meetings. The structure and methods of these meetings resemble manufactured consent instead of appropriate consultation with the actual clients of Veteran Affairs Canada. Consulting with Veteran Organizations does not constitute “consultation” because many of these organizations have accepted federal monies and may face a conflict of interest. Besides, veteran organizations are not clients of VAC: disabled veterans, their spouses, widows, and families are.

Make no mistake, we respect and care for our military and that is why we are de-cruiting the Canadian Armed Forces. By undermining veterans senior bureaucrats and politicians are sapping military morale. The constant and consistent erosion of veterans’ pensions, benefits, and services means that those serving and those considering a military career are in danger – from bureaucrats and our politicians.

We are the voices of experience and reality. Do not join the Canadian Armed Forces until lifetime pensions, in accordance with the Pension Act, are fully and retroactively reinstated. Serve Canada, not political partisanship.